


Hero's Journey

by Writer_Geekgirl



Series: Castiel and Dean: An Apocalyptic Love Story [20]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Destiel Promptober, F/M, M/M, Metafiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 04:07:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21130499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writer_Geekgirl/pseuds/Writer_Geekgirl
Summary: After leaving the bunker and the Winchesters behind, Castiel embarks on a journey to find himself and gets help from a family friend.This work is part of a Destiel Promptober 2019 prompt series. The stories are inspired by two different word prompts each day but the short vignettes will all tie in together and weave a larger story. Each story will be standalone (for the most part).The prompts for the day are: Tread and Hypnosis





	Hero's Journey

Castiel walked for how long he didn't know. Hours? Days? He dimly was aware of nights and days passing, but all he felt was pain. Glimpses of events he couldn't fully remember haunted him. The most painful was squatting on the ground next to his dead son and telling Sam and Dean that writers lie before the world went blank.

He muttered to himself, "I promised to take care of him. I promised Kelly I would take care of him." Devastation filled him, followed by rage at a father who was never there. How many times had he prayed to Chuck for help? How many times had he asked for a sign? Instead, all he did was could try to do was make the best he could at the time, which far too often led to the wrong decision. 

He found himself in front of a house in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Jody. This was Jody's house. Claire. Then he slumped again. If he hadn't existed in this world, Claire wouldn't have ever come here. Perhaps she still was alive with Jimmy and Amelia. Somewhere… Illinois. Illinois wasn't destroyed during the virus outbreak so there was hope. He paused to look at the house. A hand fluttered into view as the curtain was drawn back. A face he didn't recognize peered out at him.

A petite middle-aged black woman walked out the door. She smiled and said, "Castiel."

He looked at her blankly. "Do I know you?"

"No, my name is Patience. I've been waiting for you."

He tilted his head at her confused, his eyes questioning.

She smiled gently and put her hand on his sleeve. "Jody told me of you. I'm a psychic and I've had visions about you for some time now."

He followed her into the house. "Is Jody alive?"

Patience's face fell. "No, she passed away shortly after the zombie outbreak began. She's part of the reason Sioux Falls remained safe during it all. She and Bobby Singer managed to eliminate all of the zombies that spawned here. But, both of them were lost." Patience gestured towards a chair.

Castiel sat in the chair and stared as Patience got in the chair across from him. She bit her bottom lip as she stared at him. "You've been on a long journey, Castiel. A very long journey. The tread on your boots is thin from all the walking."

"I have nowhere to go," Castiel said. "I have no one, no home, not even a dog. Nothing. Just dim flashes of a life long over."

Patience reached out for his hand and turned it over to look at his palm. "That's not true, Castiel. You have yourself. You are strong. Much stronger than you or anyone else has ever given you credit for. You saved worlds, Castiel. You are the hero of this story."

"I'm not a hero. I'm just an angel. And not much of one at that."

"You're seeing bits and pieces of a life out of context. I'm going to help you see it all. What Rowena took from you; what Naomi took from you, I can help you get it back if you trust me."

Castiel huffed a small self-deprecating laugh. "I have nothing left to lose."

"That's not true, Castiel, and deep down you know that. Now relax. Listen to my voice." Patience started chanting hypnotically. Castiel relaxed as images flowed over him. Images of him taking a stand to protect humans for a millennium. Punishments doled out; not quite snuffing out the crack in his chassis that allowed him to love humanity so desperately. It was like watching a movie, where he could see himself on the battlefields, working and living among humans, fighting and falling, and finally his final rebellion of choosing the Winchesters over Heaven. 

Rage filled him as he remembered what Chuck had done and what he had taken from him. "Why?"

"You'd have to ask Him."

"This world?"

She shrugged, "A failed experiment. There were no heroes to keep his interest. He grew bored and left."

Castiel sighed. How many half-written novels had Chuck left out there? How many works-in-progress were left in pieces by an author who got bored and left the heroes half done? How many suffered because of Chuck?

Patience looked at him. "It's not all bad, Castiel. There's seemingly nothing but chaos. But not all bad comes from it. Art. Hope. Love. Dreams."

Castiel huffed a small laugh, as those words echoed the conversation he had with Hannah long ago when he tried to explain why he liked humanity. Why he stayed on Earth.

Patience smiled, "Are you going to let him win? He wanted to destroy you. But you have Sam and Dean and the most powerful witch in the world behind you."

Castiel sighed, "I did. But I've been gone for days, maybe more."

"And you will always find him. You promised."

"Will you come with me?"

Patience shook her head, "This is your journey, Castiel, your story, not mine. I'm just a supporting character in yours. I have my own story."

Castiel bowed his head, "Thank you."

"There's a truck out back ready for you. It's gassed up and ready to go."

"They still deceived me. I'm still angry."

She laughed at him. "And just how many times have you deceived them to protect them? What did you once say? You were stupid for the right reasons. Sometimes that's all that matters."

Castiel looked abashed before saying quietly, "Thank you."

"One more thing. If Jack could get you out of the Empty, who says he can't get himself out?" Castiel stared at her stunned. She said, "Now off you go. My grandmother would have already kicked you in the ass to get you moving back to that man of yours."

Castiel took the offered truck and headed home. When he entered the bunker, Dean looked up at him from the map table. Castiel hurried down the stairs and hugged him. Dean buried his face in Castiel's jacket, and they stood there for several long moments without talking.

When Sam and Rowena entered the room, Castiel looked at them and said, "We need to talk."


End file.
